Whenever the opportunity to check out a logic puzzler comes along, I’m always amazed at how many different options there are to help hone your creative and quick thinking. A new game, Takuzu, is an unique blend of number, pattern, and sudoku-like play, continuing to expand the offering of puzzlers in the App Store.
Takuzu, free in the App Store, is a fun puzzler for iOS devices. Based on simple logic, identifying patterns, and following a few simple rules, Takuzu is a puzzler like I’ve never played before.
The objective of the game is simple – complete the board in the quickest time possible. There are a few simple rules to the game-play, though. Each row must contain an even number for 1s and 0s, and there can be no more than two of the same number in side by side (in row or column).
Depending on how advanced of a player you are, you can choose puzzles from 4×4, up to 8×8. The larger the game board, the more challenging the puzzle. Each new level also comes with a few preset numbers to get you started. The higher difficulty you choose, the less “clues” the level starts with.
From a visual standpoint, Takuzu is fairly simple, with a while background and buttons in two colors, depending on whether the button is a 1 or 0.
A large factor in puzzle games to me is the audio (keeps you focused while you play). Takuzu does not feature a soundtrack, and much to my disappointment, also mutes music playback on launch. It did, however, include some rather bland sound effects as you set the value of the buttons on the board.
With its universal compatibility and a wide range of puzzle sizes and difficulties, it’s a cool new option to add to your games folder. The lack of soundtrack or external music playback is a big draw back in this 1.0 release (especially given Apple’s large focus on music on their devices).
For free, Takuzu is definitely a cool new option to add to your iDevice! Check it out now in the App Store.
* The above review was commissioned by the developer in accordance with our app review policy, and has been written in an objective, unbiased fashion.